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Parenthood is an NBC show about the Braverman family, Zeek Braverman, Camille Braverman, their four children: Adam, Crosby, Julia, and Sarah, and their families. Personalities range from short-tempered to easy-going, smart-minded and goody-goody to rebellious. The Bravermans have their quirks, from an academically gifted child named Sydney to the Asperger syndrome afflicted Max. The show chronicles the Braverman's burgeoning families, their downfalls, and their uprisings.

Single mother Sarah and her two children Amber and Drew are moving back home with her parents Zeek and Camille. Sarah's sister and complete antithesis, Julia is a successful corporate attorney trying to juggle work and motherhood, alongside her stay-at-home husband, Joel. Commitment-phobe Crosby, Sarah's younger brother, must accept adult responsibility when old flame Jasmine shows up unexpectedly. Meanwhile, Adam, the oldest Braverman sibling, his wife Kristina and teenage daughter, Haddie, learn that their eccentric son and Haddie's little brother, Max, is diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Although each sibling and family has its own share of life to grapple with, perhaps this reunion is the push they need to help each other pick up the pieces and focus on the everyday challenges that families face while raising children and starting over.

Adam and Kristina get a diagnosis confirming Max's Asperger syndrome. Sarah interviews for a graphic design job with a little help from her brother and father. Amber is told that she is being held back in the tenth grade as her transcripts from her former school in Fresno are unsatisfactory for her new school. Crosby spends time with his son but still doesn't know how to tell Katie that he already has a child. Julia is frustrated with a fellow mother from Sydney's school and tensions come to a head at the school's fund raising auction.

Adam and Kristina fight to get their son into an exclusive private school, Footpath, after Max gets kicked out of his former school. Meanwhile, while meeting with Footpath, they miss Haddie's soccer game and learn that she feels like they have always paid more attention to Max. Crosby spends more time with his son, Jabbar, and struggles to connect with and integrate him into his life. Sarah confronts her dad about the condoms she found in the den. Julia, a prominent high school swimmer, is unsatisfied with the methods used in her daughter's Zen swimming class so she takes matters into her own hands by attempting to teach her daughter how to swim.

Crosby keeps Jabbar overnight while Jasmine has a dance audition; he has to take Jabbar to the emergency room when Jabbar he gets his thumb stuck in a soda can. Adam and Kristina notice that Haddie's cell phone bill is ridiculously large and seems to be concentrated to one particular number; upon further investigation (including sneaking into her room and enlisting Crosby to hack into her computer), they find that she has a boyfriend. Sarah has to have a talk with Drew about masturbating too much, and rejects her father's help. Amber babysits Sydney while Julia and Joel have a date night while out they run into Racquel and her husband who are also on a date night with their daughter. Sarah continues to bond with Amber, and Adam and Kristina learn to accept their daughter's new-found independence.

When Max re-joins the baseball team, Drew helps Adam connect with his son. Sarah strikes up a friendship with Amber's English teacher, Mr. Cyr (Jason Ritter). Meanwhile, Crosby feels the pressure to have a baby sooner than he expected and Julia tries to teach Sydney how to stand up for herself.

Max starts working with a young behavioral aide (Minka Kelly), while Sarah debates whether she should go out with Amber's teacher. Meanwhile, something happens between Joel and Racquel which convinces Julia that there's something to worry about.

Sarah and Amber are both attracted to Amber’s teacher, while Crosby tries to have a romantic moment with Valerie, but because he can’t leave Jabbar alone too long the moment doesn’t turn out that well. Meanwhile Julia thinks about doing pro bono work, but she’s sure that her boss will not approve it. While Adam really needs a break from everyone.

One of her old acquaintances runs for Lieutenant Governor in Sacramento, and Kristina leaves Max and Haddie with Adam for the weekend. Kristina is excited by the opportunity to help, but feels out of date among the young generation of campaign workers. Meanwhile, Adam has his hands full, and along with taking care of his own kids, gives Drew girl advice as a school dance approaches. Elsewhere, Sarah tries to get Amber excited about college by taking her to an event on campus and unexpectedly runs into an ex. Julia attempts to teach Sydney a lesson about lying. Crosby takes Jasmine on a real date without Jabbar.

As Crosby and Jasmine's romantic relationship continues, they have to decide how to explain it to Jabbar. Elsewhere, Adam and Kristina are on the search for friends but find that the process is a bigger challenge than they thought. Sarah learns about Zeek's financial problems. Meanwhile, Julia becomes the new coach of Sydney's soccer team and Haddie seeks out Amber for advice when Steve starts pressuring her to have sex with him.

The truth about what happened between Amber and Steve comes out, causing a rift between Sarah and Kristina. Max enlists the family's help in gaining millage for the Walk for Autism coming up, still unknowing that he has Asperger's and that it falls on the Autism Spectrum. Julia tries being a member of a the school support network, and Zeek is continually curious about Camille's relationship with her art teacher.